How can local people adapt to climate change?
Climate change information trickling down to locals is important for generations to survive.
Climate Change Development Authority entered into an understanding with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) to see its iCLAM program delivered to the country.
iCLAM will see basic information made available to the public using the Information Technology platform.
This project has been rolled out in Tonga, Fiji and Vanuatu under the guidance of Griffith University.
Samuel Mackay, program manager, Griffith Climate Change Response Program, says there are barriers to overcome, and these are:
Existing policies, institutions, operational and human resource, information and communication technology, including the 800-plus language.
Mackay said the key challenge now is ensuring any information management activity that CCDA and its stakeholders undertake must align with what the government is already doing in terms of their whole government information.
In the meantime, Alfred Rungol, CCDA, is welcoming any collaboration with other agencies – both government and private.
“It is very important to have all the agencies involved, especially those that have basic information that CCDA want.
“We want everybody together so we can find a way through this project and we can also encourage agencies to work with us, to plan in provinces and other areas,” he said